But not as bad as your mother! Should I be terrified?
She was awesome, wasn’t she? The police should consider asking her to join. Didn’t work out so well for James though.
What did they arrest him for?
Not entirely sure, but I think it was to do with his work. Insider trading and so on. I had heard a whisper that they were after him. I didn’t expect him, or them, to show up today though!
It could be seen as romantic that he risked his escape by coming to get you first.
Yeah, if romance means refusing to listen for consent and trying to bully someone into running away with you.
Okay, good point. I assume that’s put an end to your mother’s matrimonial dreams?
Let’s hope so! On the car journey home she said that she understood I would find the right person when I was ready. Although she did add that she wished I’d hurry up! Honestly.
Ha! Some progress though. You must be pleased. Still on for Friday?
Oh yes. I think I deserve a drink.
You deserve the world. It was Kam’s turn then to hit the backspace button and tap out ‘See you then, then’ instead. But he knew both were true.
Chapter Thirty-four
Half-term week had whizzed by in that way that school holidays do: incredibly fast and filled with the awareness that this was it now for another few weeks. In Kam’s case it was especially bittersweet because for him the end of the summer term would not just mark the start of six glorious (well-earned) weeks of holiday but the end of his time at Penmenna.
He knew Sarah Fielding’s post had been advertised just before the end of term and that interviews would occur at the very start of July, but despite Rosy telling him about the vacancy all those weeks ago when he’d first started, she had said nothing since. Kam was usually prone to optimism, but in this case he couldn’t help but fear that no news was very definitely not good news.
He supposed on the positive side of things that he would be staying in Cornwall. He had four other interviews lined up in June, he could get lucky and get one of those. All were for permanent full-time positions, which would give him the security he wanted. If all of those failed, there was always supply work or hours with Ben, and once he wasn’t working alongside Pippa then he could finally nail his colours to the mast and see if she felt the way he did. He hoped she did. At times, like on the footpath at Porthcurno or as they had been falling around on space hoppers, their chemistry was so intense, sparking between them, fizzing and shivering in blue spiky jags of desire, that he had to suspect she felt as keenly as him. He was also aware that she was so full of sunshine that she was lovely to everyone, making whoever she was talking to feel like they were on top of the world, the only person in the room. It was possible that she may not be attracted to him at all and her presence just made him feel special, like it did everyone else.
In which case he’d feel like a real idiot.
His mum and sisters had headed home yesterday and had declared the visit a success, which meant they’d be back in the summer, possibly twice. Hema had spent the days after their trip to Pippa’s Vintage and Craft Fair whispering plans about how to seal the deal, each one more ludicrous then the rest. Her very last suggestion being trails of vintage shoes à la Hansel and Gretel to his bedroom. Although all that would prove was that Pippa really liked shoes. He wanted to try without the trickery when the opportunity presented itself, once they were no longer working together and he had a secure position in place.
Tonight she was coming out with him and Ben and he was determined that they have a good time. He had wanted to pick her up but she insisted she’d be already in Newquay meeting friends. He was a little disappointed. He liked the idea of picking her up; it felt gentlemanly plus he wanted to see the inside of her flat, if for no other reason than checking out the freakiest stuffed animals man had ever seen. That stoat she had brought to the fayre had crossed eyes which, combined with its tutu and cane, made it one of the oddest things he’d seen.
Instead though, she’d be meeting him at the club itself, he forgot that with her being born and bred in the area she was going to more au fait with things down here than he was. He wondered if he would have simply met her out one night. Maybe, maybe they were meant to meet, job or not.
He stood nervously at the bar waiting for drinks whilst Ben tried to sweet talk a girl he had seen around town and taken a liking to. Like most of Ben’s crushes Kam wasn’t convinced this one was going to pan out well either, but he had to give his mate points for tenacity. Perhaps if he had his friend’s courage he wouldn’t be feeling quite so sick now.
‘Kam!’ He heard his name a split second before he felt arms around his neck giving him a kind of backwards cuddle. His sickness and nerves disappeared in that moment; he turned and couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face, surely marking him out as hopelessly besotted, as he saw Pippa standing there, a lopsided smile on her face. ‘Yay. We’re out, finally! We should have done this ages ago. We’re going to have the best night.’ He looked at her and thought it was quite probably true.
‘We should have, but we’re doing it now. What do you want to drink?’
She ordered tequila, managing to drag the word out for its full three syllables and add a whooping noise as she said it. She then downed it with considerable skill – not a wince in sight– hinting at experience, and managed to persuade Kam into having one too. And then another.
They found themselves on the dance floor, her arms in the air and Kam getting completely lost in the music, caught up in the bliss of being out with Pippa and seeing her throw herself fully into enjoying the evening.
She seemed to know most people here and Kam noted, many of them remarking that they hadn’t seen her out for ages. To which she’d grin and say she was here now, and then introduce Kam. Introductions that, as the evening progressed, became more and more elaborate. By the time midnight had struck he was the best teacher in the world ever, and apparently had adorable eyelashes! She had taken to stroking his face as she pointed out this feature, to emphasise what she called his beauty. It made little sense to him, but he did know he was having fun and didn’t want this evening to end.
However, soon the club played its last track, with Pippa still jumping around like a lunatic. He wasn’t sure how she did it; he was beginning to tire but then he guessed he had been up at six to catch the dawn waves. He stood back to watch her as she bounced around like Tigger, high-fiving people she knew, and not just shaking but downright rattling her head to the beats. She danced as she lived. No half measures for Pippa Parkin.
As they all piled out the club, Ben invited everyone back to his, but the truth was, even though he didn’t want the evening to end, Kam knew it made more sense to head back to Treporth now rather than later, and had already made arrangements.
‘Are you going back to Ben’s?’ Pippa bumped her hip into him to get his attention.
‘No, I’m going to head home. Not as young as I used to be and I pay a price for an all-nighter now.’
‘Tell me about it. In that case wanna share a cab back?’ She grinned at him winningly and again he felt like the luckiest man in the world.
